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Network Management Services (NMS) has grown from its role of providing basic uptime services to an integrated service with more focus on application response management. It helps analyze information to optimize network performance, detect problems in real-time, diagnose problems and analyze the traffic in the network, and at times, helps identify protocol- or application-specific traffic.

Its ability to discover the complete networks automatically, capture and store device-specific information and set thresholds so that errors or abnormal behaviors could be detected, have made it a must-have for any organization targeting smooth IT functioning.

There has been an increased intolerance among enterprises towards downtimes and IT failures. Instead of reacting to a problem, their focus remains on proactively addressing networking needs, leading to increased demand for NMS. Thus, apart from base level uptime service for the network, bandwidth management optimization, enterprises are service is now looking for an integrated performance management and application response time services so that the applications are available at a predictable and consistent manner.

NMS is moving from pure play network uptime to integrated service delivery. Organizations are looking towards correlating between different towers of the IT setup and trying to actualize the application availability. Application response time is driving the game. With infrastructure getting more robust, the trend has shifted from network and linkup time to application response time. People are also looking at services management rather than pure play network management.

According to VOICE&DATA estimates, the NMS segment grew from Rs 526 crore in FY '05-06 to Rs 709 crore in 2006-07, a 34.8% jump, which is a very healthy sign.

BOOSTERS
In FY '06-07, large organizations with huge and widespread networks focused on Quality of Service (QoS) to ensure enough lanes for high-priority traffic. They also had to design strict Internet usage policies. Increased demand from the international customers on regulatory compliance requirements drove policy designs related to information security.

Adoption of core banking solutions, even by smaller co-operative banks, fuelled the requirement for networks, and therefore, network management solution. In the co-operative bank segment, however, network management is currently limited to router and switch AMC, BSNL/MTNL liaison and some level of network security management.

Established network management products from HP, CA and IBM found many takers. Offbeat solutions such as Open NMS didn't become as popular, mainly because of lack of easily available support. Though there were some big ticket complete IT Infrastructure outsourcing deals this year as well, in general, the industry continued to look for 'Selective Sourcing' of services.

Significant activity was seen in organizations' movement from traditional telephony to IP based telephony. Therefore, there was a requirement for use of network management solutions to establish voice quality.

Global demand for services increased, resulting in ITIL adoption. Moreover, computers, processors, storage, networks and databases are becoming virtualized. Network speeds are increasing. New standards, such as IPv6, will help enable all forms of data and voice. Distinctions between transports for storage, data and voice devices will disappear. SOA is emerging for more rational compartmentalization, standard interfaces, centralized repositories and standard means for integration. New models are emerging, including hosted network and security offerings for applications, increased outsourcing of IT processes and services and more applications outside of corporate networks. All these developments acted as boosters for the NMS market today.

The global market too continued to look towards outsourcing commoditized 'Incident Management' services to low-cost markets. There was an increase in demand for remote Network Operation Center and security operation center in terms of 'incident management. Integrated services also picked up globally.

THE WINNERS
HCL Comnet topped the NMS segment with revenues of Rs 220 crore. Wipro Infotech was second, with revenues of Rs 186 crore and a growth of 40.9%. However, gtl clocked the highest growth in the industry at 80.3% and revenues of Rs110 crore.

Wipro Infotech bagged two largest deals In BFSI vertical for NMS perspective. One of them probably being the largest deal picked up in last 3 year in Enterprise Management system space in India. It also provided Enterprise Management Solution to Dena bank which s in final stages of deployment.

In FY '06-07 GTL re-established a brand new and reengineered NOC that achieved BS15000 certification, ensuring higher value to customers.

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